When getting ready to move to Europe, the thought of weight gain (or weight loss) is probably one of the first things that come to mind, and with good reason. The endless accessibility to fresh bread and high quality yet affordable wine is tempting on so many levels. I’ll start by saying this, while living in Spain I’ve been the heaviest weight I’ve ever been in my life, as well as the healthiest. Hear me out...

Living with anxiety isn't easy under most circumstances, let alone while living in a foreign country. If you think that you can create a laundry list of hypotheticals and concerns in the house you were born and raised in, in a city you know like the back of your hand, around people you've known all your life, imagine throwing in a Barney bag of craziness and unpredictability into the mix. It's literally nuts.

As someone who spent a semester in Granada, I can agree with the cliché. From classes to traveling the only thing you’re truly required to do while at a university or language school is go to class. Life becomes so simple that many people, like me, fall in love with the idea of living abroad after returning home to cope with reverse culture shock. However, studying abroad and living abroad in another language and culture have their differences.

You'll cross paths with many a wanderer while living abroad, especially if you're stationed semi-permanently in a home-base. You'll meet all kinds of travelers and expats, and you'll begin to see the group thin out as the years go. Don't be discouraged. From my experience, the connections that I've made with some extraordinary people have a lasting power that neither of us anticipated! That said, living abroad and finding female friends means being discerning, but also open and vulnerable.

There were many different ideas and exchanges that went down on November 5th at the THRIVE conference; however, we'd like to highlight just a few. Well, three to be exact, that for us, encompass the spirit that was THRIVE.

Pondering the last decade, or so, of my life has been prevalent more than ever lately. Undoubtedly, because I just turned another year older. Another year older, another year wiser, right? So, what advice would my wiser, more mature self, give to my younger, inept self? Here goes…

Let's be frank: even the most experienced of travelers feel moments of longing for home. In this case, home doesn't necessarily refer to a building with four walls and a roof insomuch as it alludes to comfort zone, area code, continent, loved ones, frame of mind, or version of yourself in a specific moment and place in time. How do we as nomads, explorers, or passport-stamp addicts feel close when we're so far away?

We, those of us who are POC and decided to travel outside our homeland, have and are etching our own American story, elsewhere. Thing is, we can always come back to the states if we so choose too. I think ‘choose’ is the operative word here. After having many conversations here in Spain with immigrants from Africa or elsewhere, even American’s who have immigrant roots: these people didn’t have the privilege to choose to leave, many had to. Let's talk about American privilege...

There I was walking barefoot along the beautiful coast of Bolonia, enjoying an empty beach with views of Africa in the distance, and all I could think about was the fact that I hadn’t gone on my run for the day. When I expressed this regret to my Spanish boyfriend, he reminded me, once again, that the purpose of a vacation is not to be productive, and to be present is essential.

I have always wanted to move to Europe and become a photographer. I was indoctrinated into being a Francophile as a child by my French immersion public school education. There has always been something about Europe that pulled at my heartstrings and I have always known the moment I had a chance to go that I should. The Spain happened...

Summer is in full swing. The sun is shining, everyone’s out and about and energy is high. With the year being halfway over, now is the perfect time to slow down, take a step back and reevaluate where you are in life. Odds are, the resolutions made in January have been forgotten and a lot has happened in the past 6 months. Not to worry though, it’s never too late.